EDM Identity
  • News
  • Music
    • Exclusive Mixes
    • Playlists
  • Events
  • Culture
  • Interviews
  • Shop
No Result
View All Result
EDM Identity
No Result
View All Result
April 16, 2018

Phoenix Lights’ 2018 Edition Abducted Our Minds With Stellar Music and More

Zachary Lefevre
Photo Credit: @Sincerity Photos

Photo Credit: @Sincerity Photos

Phoenix Lights made its return to the desert for another mind-abducting weekend!


When it comes to Arizona’s electronic music scene, Phoenix Lights is an event that stands out from the rest. I have attended the last 2 editions and it gets better each time. This year’s event was held at The Park at Wildhorse Park on the weekend of April 7 and 8 and hosted headliners Martin Garrix, Diplo, Gucci Mane, and Travis Scott. 

There were also a ton of amazing supporting artists like Fisher, Autograf, Kasbo, and Chris Lake. Between the venue, music, and desert vibes, this year’s Phoenix Lights has had me thinking of going again next year the moment we left the parking lot.

Finding the new venue was a breeze, as was getting from stage to stage inside.

Between last year’s event and this year, the only big difference was the venue change. The Park at Wildhorse Park was no more than five minutes away from last year’s event so finding the new venue was a breeze. Upon walking into the festival there was minor sound overlap between stages, but as the day progressed it became a non-issue. The venue itself was not very large making the walk between the three stages quick and easy.

The Mothership was home to the headliners, with all the production bells and whistles. Even with the caliber of headliners playing the main stage, it never felt too crowded. The Invasion was the second main stage, and it was slightly smaller but hosted some huge performances from Gramatik, Bear Grillz, and Goldfish. The last stage was the Colony, which hosted more house music and reenergized me anytime I walked by.

Phoenix Lights 2018
Photo Credit: @Flipside_Photo

From speaking to a few people affiliated with Relentless Beats, I found out that The Park is going to be where they plan on holding future Phoenix Lights events. Although the dust this year event was troubling if you didn’t bring a scarf or mask, there are plans to sod the whole venue with grass next year, and that will make the experience a world of a difference.

All three stages were also outdoors whereas last year, the Colony was indoors. I missed having the Colony indoors because it gave the stage a grungier garage feeling and made the production stand out more. That said, the Colony was by far my favorite stage at this year’s festival and some of my favorite sets of the weekend were at this stage.

Saturday was my favorite day for music.

We arrived at the festival early Saturday to catch Gerry Gonza. After seeing his opening set at Goldrush Music Festival, I knew his set would be a great way to start the day. I bounced around to The Mothership and Invasion but ended up gravitating back to the house beats of The Colony shortly thereafter. My favorite sets of the weekend were all before 5 PM.

Phoenix Lights 2018
Photo Credit: @Flipside_Photo

One set that ended up being a particular favorite of mine was GTA (purple).

The duo has always enjoyed creating and playing other genres of electronic music and they embody that through their “Death To Genres” ethos. Julio and Matt recently started performing different color sets that allow them to play a wider variety of music. The purple set is house and techno, yellow is club/world/moombah, and red is rap/trap/bass. The only set they didn’t play at Phoenix Lights was red, but their purple, yellow, and after-party sets were all popping!

After GTA, I grabbed a drink and wandered the venue catching some of MELVV before returning to The Colony for Fisher. Fisher was one of my most highly anticipated sets of the weekend, and his crowd had the most infectious energy. When an artist can’t stop smiling on stage because everyone is vibing with his set, you know you are at the right spot.

Photo Credit: @Sincerity Photos

Sunday was more mellow for me, but I saw some seriously sick sets!

It was another beautiful sunny day, and we started the fest with Kasbo and Autograf at the Mothership. Autograf was one of the few performances that incorporated live instruments into their set. They played all my favorite songs including “Metaphysical” and “Dream” and even mixed in Daft Punk’s “One More Time,” which elicited an uproar from the crowd as they sang and danced along. They also performed with a new drummer this show, and he shreds! It was by far the best Autograf show I’ve seen.

After Autograf, I wandered the festival and found myself in a little house art installation. It caught my eye because people were climbing on it and going inside. I also remembered the installation was the same little house from M3F, and I didn’t go in it last time. When you entered there was a futon to lay on. It was designed like a living room but everything was inverted.

Photo Credit: @Flipside_Photo

The coffee table was on the wall with a remote and magazine resting atop. You needed to lay down on the futon to fully grasp everything, but you were basically watching the sky as if it was the TV. A lot of people came and went while I was hanging out in the house, but only a few people stopped to admire it.

Overall, it was another successful Phoenix Lights!

It’s crazy how you can plan for an event far in advance and it comes and goes in the blink of an eye. From the moment we left the parking lot on Sunday evening, I was pondering my return to Arizona. With all the plans for the new venue, it makes me even more excited to come back for next year’s Phoenix Lights. It gets bigger and better each year and if Relentless Beats continues to host stellar lineups it’s always going to be a good time. Catch ya at the next one!


Connect with Phoenix Lights on Social Media:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ShareTweetShareShare

Zachary Lefevre

Zachary Lefevre

Zachary Lefevre has been listening to electronic music since the early 2000s. Although his first live show was underground hip-hop, he began listening to a variety of different genres and found his niche within electronic community. After attending more concerts and festivals, Zachary was seeking out a platform that would allow him to express his passion and love for live music and share it with friends, family, and the world. Having always been an avid writer he began to combine the two arts and shortly after writing his first article Zachary became part of the EDM Identity team in August 2015.

Recently From Zachary

New Releases

Find Solace in Your January Journey with DGTL CLR’s ‘Heal’ EP

New Releases

Ron Puma Releases Funk-Infused Debut EP ‘Rocktacular’

Event Reviews

Bonobo’s Fragments Tour Ends with a Magical Set at the Greek

STAY IN THE LOOP

Subscribe to notifications
  • ESSENTIAL INFO: 💥⁠
Heading to @gemandjamfestival this year? Be as prepared as possible for the upcoming edition with all the essential info you’ll need to know! 🙌🏽⁠
⁠
Gem & Jam is an incredible event running for longer than many other festivals of the same caliber. This year’s edition is slated to be one of the most memorable ever as the festival continues to improve its infrastructure, access to vendors and workshops, and of course, the diverse music lineup. 🎶⁠
⁠
Beyond all the fun ready to be had on the festival grounds this year, there’s plenty of information that you’ll need to know to make this experience as seamless as possible. Between camping at the festival, arrival times, and essential items to bring along with you, we
  • LINEUPS 👏🏻HAVE👏🏼 ARRIVED👏🏿⁠
Have you seen the latest festival lineup drops lately? Be sure to follow us for the latest trends, news, artist, music, and culture in the EDM scene!🎉⁠
⁠
Swipe to see the lineups! Be sure to head over to our link in bio for more details on some of these upcoming events, and let us know which one is your favorite festival! 🪩✨⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
🌞 @sundream_____ 
👉🏼 @abgrouptherapy⁠
🌵 @deserthearts⁠
🖤 @Awakenings⁠
🎨 @aotwvegas⁠
🍀 @getluckyslc⁠
💥 @officialrezz 
🎆 @veldmusicfestival⁠
🎊 @Tomorrowland⁠ 
⁠
  • ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: 🔦
@KamSator_music is right at home behind the decks and he dropped by to talk about his early days, musical evolution, and future endeavors! He began honing his craft back in 2012, shortly after his first expedition to @EDC_lasvegas!🎉

Kam Sator has had the amazing opportunity to work with Glow Rage. He was able to travel and play in over 25 states in the US, on multiple tours. Some of his favorite memories with them were at a popular music venue called @SoulKitchenmobile. His favorite artists to play today are @TaleOfUs, @KASST_LIVE, @Lampemusic, @Damian_Lazarus, and @ArmenMiran. 💫

👉🏼Link in bio to read more about Kam Sator and be sure to check out his EDMID Guest Mix 359 || that he made for us on Soundcloud!🎵🔗

EDMID Writer ✍🏼: @fluffies4life
📸: @soulkitchenmobile
  • LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT: 💫⁠
Group Therapy Weekender returns to the @Gorgeamphitheatre in July with a jam packed lineup including @ALPHA9music @iBluestone, @SimonDoty, @Tinlicker, and more! 🔥⁠
⁠
Group Therapy Weekender returns for its third edition at The Gorge in 2023 from July 21–23 and we already can’t contain our excitement. As always, the lineup is packed full of @Anjunabeats and @Anjunadeep titans, and rising stars that will provide the soundtrack to the weekend. 🪩⁠
⁠
Weekender is expected to include a diverse list of amazing and transformative activities ranging from yoga sessions, campsite parties, demo drops, and artist meet and greets, there is no shortage of things to do.🧘🎉⁠
⁠
👉🏽Link in the bio to read more! 🔗 Let us know if you will be attending!⁠
⁠
✍🏽EDMID Writer: @powerpufash 
📸: @turkphotos⁠
⁠
⁠
  • EVENTS: 💫⁠
@area15official is introducing six separate parties that are called Area 15 Massives including We’re All Mad Here, Secret Garden, Neon Dream, and more have been announced to make a return in 2023  to #LasVegas. This expansive space just west of The Strip houses a number of immersive experiences that range from Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart to the Emporium Arcade Bar, but where it has really shined has been with the one-off shows and unique massives they’ve hosted.🎨⁠
⁠
These parties will include a lineup that is filled with talented artists, including @LSDREAM, @EAZYBAKED, @Space_Wizard_music, @Tripp_st, and more. The space will be transformed into a Secret Garden on April 29 for a whimsical night filled with surreal production and top-tier artists, while Neon Dream will re-emerge on May 27 for a party during Memorial Day Weekend unlike any other. Happy Camper will also take place on July 22nd and will include ultimate summer camp party that will feature old-school games and trippy arts and crafts in the midst of the summer heat on July 22. 💥⁠
⁠
Here is a full list of the schedule below. ⁠
🍄 We’re All Mad Here (03.25.23)⁠
🧚‍♀️ Secret Garden (04.29.23)⁠
💚 Neon Dream (05.27.23)⁠
🏕 Happy Camper (07.22.23)⁠
🏴‍☠️ Odyssium (10.28-29.23)⁠
🛸 Galactic Zoo (12.31.23) ⁠
Link in bio to read more about this! 🔗⁠
⁠
EDMID Writer: @czarcruise⁠
📸: @area15official⁠
  • NEW MUSIC: 🔊⁠
@skylersoundsx starts her rebrand with news of a forthcoming EP on @monstercat and its lead single, a trap-fueled bass stunner called “Hit My Line.” 📱💎⁠
⁠
Following her festival debut at @tomorrowland Belgium just this past year, Skyler Madison, now known as SKYLER, is focused on rebranding with a serious passion for her production. Since graduating from LA’s @iconcollective, SKYLER’s engineering and sound design skills have grown and are demonstrated with full flex on her most recent release, “Hit My Line,” which is sure to drive interest for her next EP. 🚀⁠
⁠
🔗 In bio for the full scoop!⁠
✍🏼: @treeferme⁠
  • LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT: 🗣️⁠
@veldmusicfestival will be the place to be in Canada this summer, with music provided by @aboveandbeyond, @illenium, @loudluxury, @officialrezz x @deadmau5, and more! 🔥⁠
⁠
VELD Music Festival is bringing the heat this summer for its 10th edition. From August 4-6, 2023, the grounds of Downsview Park in Toronto will come to life as attendees unite to bask in the mood-lifting magic of electronic dance music. Since this edition will be a major anniversary milestone, VELD has hyped it up as the best one to date, so the lineup simply needed to impress. Well, the wait is over, and the musical entertainment that they’ve unveiled is worthy of an expedition across the border! ✈️🇨🇦⁠
⁠
🔗 In bio for full details!⁠
✍🏻: @fluffies4life⁠
📸: @veldmusicfestival
  • NEW ALBUM ALERT: 💿
@sglewis delivers his most substantial body of work to date, AudioLust & HigherLove, featuring collaborations with @tovelo , @tydollasign , and more! 💣

English producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist SG Lewis has elevated his disco-infused dance floor sound to the highest level of his career with his latest 15-track album AudioLust & HigherLove. Featuring an A-list roster of collaborations, his one-of-a-kind futuristic disco delivers a home run of modern dance excellence in a way few producers can achieve. 🧠

🔗 In bio for full details!
✍🏼: @djlo_g 
📸: @pepppy 

—
#sglewis #newmusic #newmusicalert #newalbum #albumrelease #disco #futuristicdisco #dancemusic #newrelease #tovelo #tydollasign #newmusic2023
  • NEW MUSIC: 🔊⁠
@paavoab releases his remix of Kyan’s “Lonely River” with @anamemusic under the @p.o.s.music alias, along with news of his debut album, Deeper Tales. ⚡️⁠
⁠
Paavo Olavi Siljamäki, also known as P.O.S, has quite the legacy with 20-plus years under his belt as one-third of @aboveandbeyond, among other accolades he’s gained throughout his career. ⁠
⁠
🔗 In bio for full details⁠!⁠
✍🏾: @stardustandmadness
  • About
  • Contact
  • Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement

CONTACT INFO

San Diego, California

contact@edmidentity.com

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Music
  • Events
  • Culture
  • Festival Tips
  • Interviews
  • Shop

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist